Chimney cleaner



Mziy'l9, 1931. J J EY 1,806,387

CHIMNEY CLEANER Filed June 4, 192 2 Sheets-Shee l Jazmas J 6221' May 19, 1931. J. J. CARNEY I CHIMNEY CLEANER Filed June 4. 1929 2 Sheets-Sham 2 H MM I I I 0\ W a M h 7- 5 M J! 7 1 c 7.

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Patented May 19, 1931 PATENT OFFICE- JAMES J. calmer, or BETHEL, VERMONT CHIMNEY crnmvna Application filed June 4,

This invention relates to a chimney cleaning apparatus.

It is aimed to provide a novel, exceedingly simpleand inexpensive construction which 5 will prove efficient in use and durable in operation.

i It is particularly aimed to provide a construction having means whereby the parts are held against separation until the bottom of the chimney has been reached.

Another object is to provide a construction wherein the limit of spreading of the cleaning element is limited by means which is adjustable according to the width of different chimneys. 7

It is also aimed to provide a novel construction which may interchangeably employ latches,' knives, scrapers, rollers or other tools according. to the particular needs of the chimney, in removing soot, or other deposits.

7 Additional objects and advantages Wlll become apparent from a consideration ofthe description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustratmg an operative embodiment.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a view illustrating the apparatus in connection with a chimney and in the act of being lowered,

Figure 2 is a view of the same parts as Figure 1, showing the windlass in a d fferent position, at right angles to that in Flgure 1 and showing the cleaning parts 1n operative relation and being raised,

Figure 3 is a View in elevation of the cleaning device taken at a right angle to the posi-.

tions of Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation showing the use of a modified form of cleaning tool Figure 6 is across sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a view similar to Flgure 4 but taken through modified brushes, and

Figure 8 is a detail of a knlfe or scraper which may be used instead of the brushes and roller.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the

usual in the form of Figures 1 to 4 or steel or the device, The latch 25 has an arm 28 de- 1929. Serial No. 368,243.

device comprises two levers 10 generally of L-form which are pivoted together as at 11. The lower ends of the levers have cross bars 12 integral therewith or otherwise provided thereon to which the baeks of brushes having bristles 1 1, are detachably fastened as by means of removable bolts 15. These brushes may have their bristles 141: of any desired material, that is vegetable matter as metal in the form of the bristles 16 of Figure 7, the parts otherwise being similar to Figures 1 to 4 and bearing the same reference characters The bristles 16 may also be rounded as shown in Figure 7.

The outer ends of the upper portions of the levers 10 carry rollers 17 over which an endless loop 18, of flexible material, is trained. Fastened to the loop, as by means of a ring 19 looped on the loop, is a cable or flexible element 20 which is operable from a Windlass 21 of conventional form, manually operable through the medium of a crank 22, and supported as by means of brackets 23 removably resting on top of a chimney suggested in dotted lines at 24.

lVhen the device is lowered into a chimney as shown in Figure 1, a latch 25 pivoted at 26 on one of the levers 10'engages an eyelet or staple 27 on the other lever 10, thus holding the levers against separation at their lower ends whereby the brushes 14 are held away from the chimney in the lowering of pending therefrom which is adapted to strike the bottom of the chimney, elevates the latch 25, to disengage it from the element 27 so that upon an upward movement on the part of cable 20, the brushes will be spread into the V relation shown in Figure 2 so as to brush or clean the engaged wall of the chimney on the upstroke of the device through operation of the windlass. t

In order thatthe levers 10 will not unduly spread so that the brushes will extend into cavitiesand the like in the walls and prevent upward movement, an adjustable arm 29 is fastened by a screw and elongated slot connection as at 30 to one of the arms to such a toothed rollers 31, preferably of metal,may be of bolts-'34 detachably secured by nuts 35 in may have' 'a round or curved wall.

used in lieu of the brushes 13-14, such rollers having trunnions 32 journaled in the eyes 33 and to the previously mentioned arms l2l Instead of the'brushes and rollers fiSPJIBVl ously referred, to, the steel wire brushes 16 Y the latch, and means to limit the outward movement of the cleaning members.

3. A device of the class described comprising two levers, means pivotally connecting said levers together, cleaning devices carried at the lower ends of said levers, an endless loop of flexible material movably connected to the upper endsrof the levers, a draw means extending from the loop, a-latch carried by one of; the levers and engaging the other maybe used, especially where the chimney jleverjto maintain" "the cleaning elements 7 Further, where the deposits on the wall of the chimney is diflicult to dislodge or remove,- aknite or scraper as shown in Figure 8 may be used; This knife orv scraper has teeth 36 which are adapted to engage the's'urface'to be cleanedand it has a plate 37 provided with apertures 38 through'which bolts suchfas -15 .may-secure the sameito the arms 13.

The device-may also be readily shifted from engagement with walls of a chimney to en- "gagem'ent" with walls thereof at a right angle to those first engaged andthis result is accomplished for instance by simply repositioning .thewi'ridlass 21 ataright angle to its position shown in Figurel and; thereupon operating the cable which will result in the device correspondingly shifting itsposition ninety de- 'rees. Q

Various changes'm'ay be resorted to' provided they fall within the spirit and'scope'oi the invention; v I claim as'my invention 'i 1. Ina cleaningfdevice of thefclass described, v a' plurality'of relatively movable cleaning members, means to normally hold said members separated and in cleaningposip ition, means for holding said member'sfrom separation for descent into a chimney, means against separation as thedevice; is lowered said leverstogether, cleaning devices carried at thelower ends of said'levers,=an endless loop of flexible material movably connected to the upperends of the levers, a drawmeans extending from the loop, alatch carried by one of the levers and engaging therother ever to" maintain thecleaning-elements against separation as the device is lowered into a chimney, a 'pendanton said latch to engage the bottomofthe'chimney to thereby retract the latch, and an arm provided with a longitudinal slot for adjustably securing it to one lever and engageable with the other leverto limit the outwardrmovement of the cleaning members when disposed in a chimney,

- In testimony whereof I aflix-my signature. i v JAMES JJCARNEYQQ to release said holding means by coaction' with the bottom ofthechimney order to release the cleaning members for operative engagement with thellchimney walls, and means adjustabl'y secured to one'cle'aning member and engageablejwith" the'other cleaning member members are spread;

2. A device of the class described comprising two levers generally ofL-shape, means "pivotally connecting said levers together, said *levers at' their lower ends hav ng cross arms, cleaning-devlces carried by; Stud armsyrollers attached to' the 'loop,'a latch carriedjby one separation as'the device is lowered into a chimney, a pendant on said latch to engage the bottom of the chimney tothereby retract to positively limit, the movement of said'mem- 'bers into' cleaning positions, said means in- .oluding anarm secured'toone member and I "'engageabl'e with the other 'member when' the 

